Rosa Mexicano Shares Recipes for National Guac Day

National Guacamole Day and Mexican Independence Day are both on Sunday, Sept. 16, and F restaurant Rosa Mexicano has shared a couple of recipes with Patch readers to help celebrate. Rosa Mexicano has two D.C. locations 5225 Wisconsin Ave., NW and 575 7th St., NW.

Guacamole en Molcajete (serves four, courtesy of Rosa Mexicano Restaurants)

For chile paste:

• 1 tablespoon white onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 teaspoons jalapeño, or more to taste, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt, or as needed

For the guacamole:

• 3 medium ripe but firm Hass avocados
• 3 tablespoons plum tomato, diced
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 tablespoon white onion, finely chopped
• Salt if necessary

To make the chile paste: Grind the onion, cilantro, jalapeño and salt together in a molcajete (the traditional bowl in which guacamole is made and served) until all the ingredients are very finely ground. Alternatively, use a fork to mash all the ingredients into a paste in a wide hardwood bowl.

Cut each avocado in half, working the knife blade around the pit. Twist the halves to separate them and flick out the pit with the tip of the knife. Fold a kitchen towel in quarters and hold it in the palm of your “non-knife” hand. Rest an avocado half cut side up in your palm and make three or four evenly spaced lengthwise cuts through the avocado flesh down to the skin, without cutting through it. Make four crosswise cuts in the same way. Scoop out the diced avocado flesh into the molcajete. Repeat with the remaining avocado halves.

Gently fold the avocado into the paste, keeping the avocado in pieces that are as large as possible. Add the tomato, cilantro and onion and fold in gently. Add salt if necessary. Serve immediately right from the molcajete or bowl with chips and soft tortillas.

Guacamole with Fruit (courtesy of Rosa Mexicano Restaurants)

• One-half tablespoon onion, minced
• 1 teaspoon Serrano pepper, finely chopped
• Salt to taste
• 1 Hass avocado
• One-half cup diced mango (diced to one-quarter of an inch)
• 6 purple grapes (halved)
• 6 green grapes (halved)

In a bowl, using the back of a wooden spoon, thoroughly mash the onion, peppers and salt into a juicy paste (using salt as a grinder).

Holding the avocado in the cup of your hand, split the avocado in half lengthwise and remove the seed. Slice the avocado lengthwise three times and across three times to form a grid. Scoop the avocado out of the skin with a spoon. Repeat with the other half of the avocado.

Add the avocado to the paste and mix together. 

Add the mango and grapes and fold them gently into the mixture. Re-salt and add more peppers to taste—enough to contrast well with the sweetness of the fruit. Serve with chips or fresh corn tortillas.

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Don't want to make it at home? on Sunday, Sept. 16, to enjoy fresh guacamole and special menu items to celebrate Mexico's Independence Day. 

How do you make guacamole—what's your recipe? Tell us in the comments.